A really nice benefit of the Eastern Carolina area is that you can make the beach a day trip. Our church went yesterday, just for the day, and it was so nice. The weather cooperated with us this time, unlike the rainy day we had in June, and we had about 25 people show up. We took a grill and had a cookout at one of the shelters, and otherwise just enjoyed the ocean and each other. We were still able to get back in time to get some of the work of Saturday done. I was mowing grass until 9 o'clock last night; the mower has headlights. So today, Sunday, I am not going to get to take the sabbath rest that I had hoped. I try not to work on Sunday, but just spend the morning in worship and the afternoon in rest. Perhaps I will worship more in God's creation while I rake the grass. I did manage to lie down for an hour, but the brain didn't stop long. It seems that even if I am not a paid teacher, school stays at the forefront of my mind. ------- Today was #1's first day in the Youth Group at church. There weren't many people there for class, so it wasn't very threatening to him. I had been told that the teacher tries to go easy on the kids when they are new, because they look like a deer in headlights. I told him I didn't think that would happen; I was right. He read and talked as much as anyone. At lunch #1 said they only covered 5 verses. His thoughts? "I never knew you could talk so long about 5 verses!"